Apparatus for making rubber tubing or the like



8. W. ALDERFER 2 sheets sheet 1 Feb. 9, 1937.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING RUBBER TUBING OR THE LIKE 0rigina1 Fi1ed Nov. 7, 1934 I Zmnentor fraeLm/f b. 6 4.05! F51? (Itto may Feb. 9, 1937. s. w. ALDERFER 2,070,388,

APPARATUS FOR MAKING RUBBER TUBING OR THE LIKE I origina lFiled Nov. 7, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 inventor .954 h. flw erae (Itto eg Patented Feb. 9, 1937 APPARATUS F03 MAKING RUBBER TUBING; B THE LIKE Sterling W. Alderfer, Akron, Ohio, assignor of one-half to Edward D. Andrews, Akron, Ohio Original application November 7, 1934, Serial No.

751,857. Divided and this application Octobe 17, 1935, Serial N0. 45,387

'7 Claims. (Cl. 154-6) The present invention relates to the manufacture of hollow rubber tubing or similar articles directly from dispersions of rubber, either the natural latex or artificial dispersions of rubber.

Fo'r carrying out the invention either an unvulcanized latex may be employed, in which case the product is vulcanized after formation, or a vulcanized latex, in which case the tubing is delivered in completely vulcanized condition. By the use of the process, it is possible to obtain tubing of any desired size or bore and to make y a flattened tape or to form arubber tape with a selvage edge thereon. i

The tubing which is made by the improved method is characterizedlby ,theiact that the edges of the tape do not encircle the finished tube in spiral lines, but are parallel with the axis of the tube. This makes a superior article as the grain of the rubber is lengthwise of the tube. The process has advantages in economy of manufacture and flexibility of operation. Rubber tubing may be made by the simple mechanical de-. vice illustrated and the operations are easily controlled. In describing the process and in the claims, the generic term latex is used to designate the natural latex or an artificial rubber dispersion and is of sufficient breadth to cover these materials whether pre-vulcanlzed or not.

It will also be understood that while the invention is shown in its preferred form, so that one skilled in the art may readily understand andfpractice it, the invention is not limited or restricted to the operations specifically shown and described, but may be varied within the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

This case is a division of my copending application Serial No. 751,857, filed November 7, 1934.

In the drawings in which the best known method of practicing the invention is illustrated:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the essential elements of the apparatus illustrating the method for making the round tubing;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the parts shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-section of the in which a rubber tape with a rolled selvage edge may be obtained; and

Figure 8 is a view showing the manner in which a flat tape is made.

- In the operation of making tubing by theprocess shown and described, the latex is applied to a moving member, here shown as an endlessbelt l, on which it is dried to form a fiat tape 2. The method of forming a tape in this fashion is old and well known and the mechanism is not shown. The tape is removed from the belt after it has dried sutficiently to be self-sustaining and able to withstand the tension placed upon it during the subsequent steps of the process. The tape is removed from the belt by passing around a cylindrical roll 3,-from where it is conducted to the turning member, here shown .as the roll i. This latter roll is provided with a flange 5 which is shown as tapered for the purpose of rolling the tape upon itself. This flange 20 constitutes a member which is generally oblique to the plane of the tape, so that as the tape passes thereover, it will be rolled from" edge to edge;

The roll 3 is mounted on a shaft 6 and is driven at any suitable speed by a pulley 1 and belt 8. The roll 3 is preferably driven at a peripheral speed in excess of the surface speed ',0f the belt I so that a degree of stretch, which 'may be determined beforehand, is imparted in Figure 1. By adjustment of the roll'so that 30 to the tape with a consequent narrowing of the tape as indicated in Figure 4. The roll 4 is feathered to a shaft 10 which is driven by one of a series of stepped pulleys I? from corresponding stepped pulleys l3 on the shaft 6, the connecting belt being shiftable to adjust the-relative peripheral speeds of the rolls 3 and 4. It will be observed that the roll 4 is driven at a greater surface speed than the roller 3 so that the tape is stretched longitudinally'between the rollers, decreasing its width and consequently the diameter and the bore of the finished tubing.

The roll 4 is adjustable axially by means of the pivoted lever I6, one end of which is formed with a yoke I1 engaging a groove l8 in the pulley. The other end of the lever is engaged by a detent 20 .so that it maybe held many position of atfiustv merit.

The flange 5 may, therefore, be shifted to any position of adjustment with respect to the edge of the tape as it leaves the roll 3; If adjusted rearward sufliciently a flat tape will be secured.

As the flange approaches the tape, the latter will be turned uponitself, rolling the edge over to form the tube as illustrated by the broken and full lines end may be secured. By adjusting the flange until it is in alignment with the far edge of the tape, a full rolled tube will besecured.

It will be observed that the edges of the tape remain parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube and the tape is not wound spirally on itself, but a true folding or turning action is secured with a straight seam down the tube. The tape is sumciently tacky so that it will adhere to itself. If the tube is led out from the roll l in a straight or substantially straight line, as shown in Figure 1, the tubular character of the product will be maintained. If, however, the tube is bent around the roll, as shown in Figure 8, the tube will be flattened out as shown in Figure 6, the air escaping along the tube between the rolls 3 and 3.

It will be seen that tubes of great varieties of diameters and-bores may be secured by adjusting the tension from the time the tape leaves the belt I to the completion of the rolling operation, and the extent to which the tape is rolled may be varied by the axial adjustment of the roll 6. Flattened, rolled tapes may also be produced in varying widths and thicknesses and, finally, selvage edge tapes may be produced. By the method shown, the tape is rolled while unsupported so thatthe results secured may always be under control and variable at the will of the operator. The tape is also rolled upon itself under tension (which is also variable) so that the flexibility of the process is assured and the new and beneficial results are obtainable. The operation is simple and effective and does not require skilled labor or expensive equipment. Other advantages and benefits will be realized by the invention which may be carried on by modified steps and is not,

aovaaaa eral speeds so as to stretch the tape longitudinally, and an inclined surface against which the tape rests to roll the tape from one edge.

2. An apparatus comprising a moving element upon which a tape may be formed from rubber latex, means for leading the tape from said element and tensioning it longitudinally, and a turning member having a surface oblique to the plane of the tape over which it runs and by which it is progressively rolled from edge to edge.

3. An apparatus comprising a moving element upon which a tape may be formed from rubber latex, means for leading the tape from said element, and a turning member having a surface oblique to the plane of the. tape and spaced from the element a sufificient distance to permit the tape to roll upon itself progressively from edge to edge.

4. An apparatus comprising a moving belt upon 'which a tape may be formed from rubber latex and dried, a roll for conducting the tape from the belt, a second roll spaced therefrom, and a flange upon the second roll adapted to roll the tape progressively upon itself from edge to edge.

5. An apparatus comprising a moving belt upon which a tape may be formed from rubber latex, a roller for conducting the tape from the belt, a second roll spaced therefrom and having a surface speed greater than the first roll to stretch the tape longitudinally, and an inclined flange on the second roll against which the tape contacts and by which it is rolled progressively upon itself.

6. An apparatus comprising a moving member upon which a tape may be formed from rubber latex, a roller for conducting. the tape from the belt and a second roller spaced therefrom, means for varying the relative peripheral speeds of the rollers to alter the tension upon the tape, and a tapered flange on the second roller to roll the tape from edge to edge progressively.

7. An apparatus comprising a moving member upon which a tape may be formed from rubber latex, a roller for conducting the tape from the belt and a second roller spaced therefrom, means for varying the relative peripheral speeds of the rollers to alter the tension upon the tape, and a. tapered flange on the second roller to roll the tape from edge to edge progressively, the second roller being adjustable axially relative to the position of the tape.

STERLING W. ALDERFER. 

